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8 min read T&S Insider

People still don't get T&S — and that's a problem

When critics misunderstand Trust & Safety, it’s not just frustrating — it’s blocks the path to a healthier internet. Here’s what we need from allies and other stakeholders, and what real collaboration with T&S looks like in practice.

I'm Alice Hunsberger. Trust & Safety Insider is my weekly rundown on the topics, industry trends and workplace strategies that Trust & Safety professionals need to know about to do their job.

This week, I'm back from TrustCon and vacation, and thinking about how the same feeling of relief I had in a queer-friendly town is exactly what I felt at TrustCon — and why embracing our outsider status might be Trust & Safety's greatest strength.

Get in touch if you'd like your questions answered or just want to share your feedback. Here we go! — Alice

Finding understanding in unexpected places

Why this matters: Trust & Safety professionals have always been misunderstood — by executives, policymakers, the press, and the public. That misunderstanding isn’t just frustrating; it’s dangerous. When people don’t get what T&S actually is, they dismiss it, underfund it, or dismantle it altogether. The irony is that many of us came to this work precisely because we’ve lived on the margins. But we can’t do that work if no one’s listening.

Right after TrustCon this year, I went on a week-long family vacation to Provincetown, Massachusetts.

For those who haven't been, Provincetown is one of the most openly queer towns in America.  As I was walking down Commercial Street, watching families with two moms, seeing older gay couples holding hands, and watching drag queens getting applause from tourists, I felt relief. In this political climate, when so many are hostile to difference and authenticity, there was something profoundly restorative about being in a space designed by and for people who know what it's like to be outsiders everywhere else.

And then it hit me: This was exactly the same feeling I'd had at TrustCon just a few days earlier.

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Published by:

Alice Hunsberger

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